Water-motor.



' No 848,694.- PATENTED APR. 2, 1907;

L'. M. SHAW.

WATER MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED HAYS, 190 5.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 No' 848,694. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907. L. M. SHAW. Y WATER MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY8,1905

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THE NORRIS PETERS cm, WA snmcrou, n. c.

N0r 848,694. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907;

' L. M, SHAW.

WATER MOTOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY8,1905.-

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PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI M. SHAW, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATER-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed May 8, 1905. Serial No. 259.266.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI M. SHAW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVater-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of water-motors which are to be located in a running stream of water for the current to impart rotation to the motor; and the objects of the invention are to enable the relation of the driving part of the motor to the current to be changed for increasing or decreasing the transmitted power; to change the impactsurface of the motor in reference to the current, so as to present a greater or less drivingface for the action of the current or flow of the water; to furnish the driver for the motor with adjustable paddles or blades against which the current or flow will act to carry the paddles or blades forward; to mount the paddles or blades on a traveling carrier which will act to transmit power to and revolve a shaft; to hang 'the paddles or blades on a traveling carrier in such manner as to present an impacting-face in the direction of the flow of the water, and to present a non-acting face on the return-passage in the opposite direction to the flow of the water; to mount the paddles or blades and the carrier therefor on a swinging or rocking support through which thepower-transmitting shaft passes and serves as the journal or pivot for the support; to raise and lower the rocking or swinging support and change the projection of the paddles or blades in the water, and to im- 'prove generally the construction, arrangement, and operation of the several elements entering into the formation of the water-motor as a whole.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top or plan view showing the motor of the invention having a single section or division of the plurality of driving paddles or blades; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the arrangement of Fig. 1 with the power-transmitting mechanism to the main or power shaft removed on the presented side and showing the paddles or blades raised; Fig. 3, a similar view to Fig. 2, showing the paddles or blades lowered; Fig. 4, a detail showing a method of connecting the I paddles or blades to the carrier, and Fig. 5 a

plan view showing an arrangement of support for a motor of the invention having three sections or divisions with the paddles or blades and the carriers therefor removed.

The construction shown has the motor and the main or power-transmitting shaft supported upon boats, scows, or floats, which, as shown, have a flat bottom 1, side rails which at one end project beyond the end of the boat, scow, or float 2, and ends 3 with the top open; but the top could be covered, if so desired. The boats, scows, or floats are connected together at both ends by cross pieces or timbers 4 and cross pieces or timbers 5, extending in the arrangement shown over the ends of the top rails of both boats, scows, or floats; but other means could be employed for connecting the boats, scows, or floats one to the other at both ends.

Each side rail 2 of each boat, scow, or float, at what may be termed the bow or the end which lies upstream when the boats, scows, or floats are anchored or moored in the stream, has thereon a journal box or bearing 6, in which the main or power-transmitting shaft 7 is mounted, so as to be free to revolve. The shaft 7 passes through journal boxes or bearings 8, one on each of two timbers or beams 9, for the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The shaft 7 adjacent to the outer side face of each timber or beam 9 has thereon a sprocket or chain wheel 10 with the hub 11 of each wheel fixedly attached to the shaft by any suitable means. A sprocket or driving chain 12 runs over each sprocket or chain wheel 10, and these chains 12 transmit power from the motor to the main or powershaft 7 to revolve said shaft from the motor.

The sprocket or driving chains 12 each run over a sprocket or chain wheel 13, with the hub 14 of each wheel fixedly attached by any suitable means to the end of a cross-shaft 15 which shaft is mounted in journal-boxes or bearings 16 on the supporting timbers or beams 9, so as to allow the shaft 15 to revolve freely. Adjacent to the inner face of each timber or beam 9 is a sprocket or chain wheel 17, and the hub 18 of each sprocket or chain wheel 17 is fixedly attached to the shaft 15, so that the revolution of the wheels 17 will revolve the shaft 15 to drive the chains 12 and transmit power to the main or driving shaft. A carrier-chain 19 runs over each sprocket or chain wheel 17, and each carrierchain 19 runs over a sprocket or chain wheel 20, the hub 21 of which is fixedly-attached by any suitable means to a shaft 22, mounted in suitable journal boxes or bearings 23 on the supporting timbers or beams 9, so that the shaft is free to revolve in its journal boxes or bearings. The sprocket or chain wheels 17 and 20 are located any desired distance apart, the distance depending on the number and width of the paddles or blades carried by the chains 19, which paddles or blades furnish the power.

Between the chains 19 and carried thereby are located the power paddles or blades, as many being used as desired, the number depending on the length and width of the motor. A number of the opposite links 24 of the chains 19 each have an arm or bracket 25, terminating, as shown, in a lateral car 26, which receives a journal pin or pivot 27, extending out from the end of the paddle or blade 28, so that each paddle or blade is suspended by its end journal pins or pivots 27 etween the carrier-chains 19 and is free to swing down or to turn into an inclined position. The paddles or blades 28 can be made of wood or other suitable material and of a width to suit the dip required into the Water of the stream and of a length to span the space between the two carrier-chains. The impact-face of each paddle or blade 28 at each end has extending out therefrom a chain or cord 29, one end of which is attached to an eye or loop 30 near the lower edge of the paddle or blade and the other end of which is attached to a pin or stud 31 on a chain-link 32, and by means of these chains or cords, one at each end of each paddle or blade, the set of the paddles or blades when in operative position can be regulated so as to stand full face to the current or flow of the stream or present an inclined face to the force of the current or flow of the stream. The arrangement shown in Fig. 4 has between the links 24 and 32 of each chain 19 a link 33; but this arrangement can be varied to suit the requirements of the number and position of the paddles or blades. The paddles or blades when swung clear down or hanging straight to present a full face to the current or flow of the stream stand at right angles, or nearly so, to the carrier on the traveling under side thereof; but by lengthening or shortening the chain or cord 29 the presented face ofthe paddle or blade will be at more or less of an incline, thus reducing the force with which the current or flow of the stream will act against the face of the paddle or blade.

Extending up from the front or dropping end of each supporting timber or beam 9 is a post or standard 34, attached to the upper ends of which is a cross-piece 35, on which is secured the end of a platform 36, the other end of which is secured to a cross-piece extending between the rear ends of the timbers or beams 9 or otherwise supported, so that the platform and the supporting timbers or beams will rock or tilt together. At each end of the platform 36 is a cross-head or bumper 37, and adjacent to each cross-head or bumper is a pulley-wheel 38, mounted on a post 39, over which pulley-wheels 38 a rope or chain 40 runs. The rope or chain 40 winds around a Windlass 41, having arms or spokes 42, by which it can be turned to wind the rope or chain in both directions thereon. The ends of the rope or chain 40 are connected to the opposite end of a car 42, in which can be placed stones or other heavy material to furnish a weight 43, by which the car as it is run back and forth on the platform can be made to lower and raise the front or dropping end of the supporting timbers or beams to carry the paddles or blades a greater or less depth into the stream or raise the paddles or blades clear of the surface of the water, or nearly so, as may be required for running or stopping the motor.

The construction and arrangement of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is one adapted for a narrow stream or for a small portion of a wide stream. For a wide stream or where a wider motor is desired a construction having two, three, four, five, or more sections, arranged as shown in Fig. 5, can be employed. This construction has a single main or power shaft 7, the same as the construction of Figs. 1, 2, and 3; but instead of having the motor formed of a single section or division, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the motor is made in two, three, or more sections or divisions, each section or division, however, consisting of supporting timbers or beams 9, cross-shafts 15 and 22, carrierwheel 17 and 20, carrier-chains 19, and a plurality of paddles or blades 28, as described for the construction of Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The arrangement of the sections or divisions on the plan of construction of Fig. 5 is one where all of the sections or divisions are lowered and raised simultaneously but it is evident that each section or division could be made to operate independently, to do which all that would be necessary would be to have separate supporting timbers or beams 9 for each section or division and provide a shifting-car or other means, by which each support could be raised or lowered independently to raise and lower the motor-section. By having the support for each section or division of the motor operate independently it will be seen that one, two, or more sections can be brought into use, giving an increase of power as each additional section or division is brought into operation, and by having the sections or divisions separately controlled a wide motor can be constructed and utilized to produce and transmit power, which would be desirable for a stream that is wide and has a current or flow that is sluggish or not very rapid.

The operation is as follows: The boats, scows, or floats are moored or anchored in the stream at or near the shore or otherwise, so as to bring the paddles or blades crosswise of the current or flow of the water to travel forward with the current or flow. The front or dropping end of the support is loweredby running the loaded car thereonto or by any other suitablemeans, setting the motor so that the paddles or blades will dip more or less in the water and receive against their acting faces when suspended downward the impact or force of the current or flow of the water, and this impact or force naturally carries each paddle or blade forward. The forward movement of the paddles or blades moves the traveling under side of chains 19 in the same direction the stream is traveling, and this movement of the chains 19 revolves the wheels 20 and 17 for the wheels 17 to in turn revolve the shaft 15, driving the wheels 13 and through the chains 12 revolving the wheels 10 to drive the main or power shaft 7 from the motor.

The amount of force exerted on the paddles or blades will be dependent on the set or incline of the paddles or blades and the depth of their dip in the water, the straighter the set of the paddles or blades and the greater the depth immersed in the water the greater the force exerted by the current or flow to force forward the paddles or blades and the more power produced to drive the main or powertransmitting or driving-shaft. This arises from the fact that the straighter the paddles or blades are set the more surface presented for the contact of the water and the greater the dip of the motor into the water the more paddles or blades will be brought into position to present their full acting faces to receive the force of the current or flow. If the dip is such as to bring the extreme forward end of the motor below the surface of the water, all of the blades or paddles except the one or two at the extreme rear end of the motor, will receive the full force of the water, because all of the forward paddles or blades present a full face, from the first one back, owing to the downward inclination of the support. The one or two paddles or blades entering the water at the wheels 17 will present more or less of the lower edge only to the force of the current, giving but little power thereby.

The support for the motor swings on the main power or driving shaft, so that its position does not affect the transmission of power from the motor to the shaft, as the drivingchains are free to run no matter what the inclination of the support may be as regards the dip of the motor in the water. The support when raised, as shown in Fig. 3, presents only the lower edges of the paddles or blades to the effect or action ofthe current or flow of the water, and as a result except with a very rapid current or flow but little, if any, power will be produced by the motor. The support when swung down, as shown in Fig. 2, presents the full face of the paddles or blades, except the last one or two, to the effect or action of the current or flow of the water, producing the full power that can be derived from the motor, and between the extremes of the swing in Figs. 2 and 3 the support can be adjusted to bring any desired number of the addles or blades into position to present a full face to the current or flow. The paddles or blades travel or move continuously forward and around, and as each paddle or blade reaches and passes the forward circle of the wheels 20 it is automatically folded against the carrier-chains to pass inclined on the upper traveling side of the chains, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, presenting a non-acting face, or a face that will pass through the water without any appreciable resistance against the forward travel of the acting paddles or blades on the under traveling surface of the chains, and as each paddle or blade reaches and passes around the upper part of the rear circle of the wheels 17 it will drop or swing down by gravity into receiving or acting position to receive the force of the current or flow of the water against its face at the lower edge. It will thus be seen that each paddle or blade is forced or carried forward in an acting position, folded out of the way at the limit of the forward travel, carried rearward in a non-act ing condition, and brought into acting position as the limit of the rearward movement is reached, all of positions being assumed automatically as the paddles or blades are successively carried around by the acting ones from the force exerted on their presented faces by the current or flow of the water.

The motor is of simple construction, but is capable of creating great power when the paddles or blades are set to the full depth in the water, as each presented paddle or blade, owing to the inclination of the support, will receive against its acting face the full force of the current or flow, so that a plurality of paddles or blades are acting at one and the same time to produce power and drive the motor. The paddles or blades can be set to hang straight or at an incline, so as to present a full face or a partial face only to the force of the current, and the support can be adjusted to dip a greater or less number of the paddles or blades into the stream. It will thus be seen that the power transmitted by the motor can be increased or decreased either by setting the paddles or blades at an incline or regulating the dip of the support, or both, thus enabling the motor to be used in streams having a rapid or a slow or:- a medium current or flow, and this without altering the general plan and arrangement of the paddles or blades otherwise than as to the length and the number of the sections or divisions.

While the invention has been described with some minuteness as regards details of construction and arrangement, it is not the intention thereby to limit the invention otherwise than pointed out in the claims, as the construction and arrangement of the parts can be varied to suit the conditions of use and this without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a water-motor, the combination of a power-transmitting shaft, a rocking longitudinal support carried by and extending fore and aft of the shaft, and a motor mounted on the rocking support forward of the powertransmitting shaft, said motor consisting of a plurality of blades, longitudinally-traveling chain-carriers for the blades, a forward supporting-shaft mounted on the forward end of the rocking support, a supporting-shaft intermediate of the power-transmitting shaft and the front supporting-shaft, and sprocketwheels for the chains on the shafts, substantially as described.

2. In a water-motor, the combination of a floating foundation, a power-transmitting shaft mounted on the floating foundation, a rocking longitudinal support carried by and extending fore and aft of the shaft, and a motor mounted on the rocking support forward of the power-transmitting shaft, said motor consisting of a plurality of blades, lon gitudinally-traveling chain-carriers for the blades, a forward supporting-shaft mounted onthe forw rd end of the rocking support, a supporting-shaft intermediate of the powertransmitting shaft and the front supportingshaft, and sprocket-wheels for the chains on the shafts, substantially as described.

3. In a water-motor, the combination of a power-transmitting shaft, a rocking longitudinal support mounted on and extending fore and aft of the power-transmitting shaft, a pair of shafts in advance of the power-transmitting shaft and separated apart and revolubly mounted on the rocking support, a pair of chain sprocket wheels on each shaft of the pair of shafts, a sprocket-chain for each pair of chain sprocket-wheels and a plurality of paddles carried by the chains, substantially as described.

4. In a water-motor, the combination of a powertransmitting shaft, a rocking longitudinal support mounted on and extending fore and aft of the power-transmitting shaft, a pair of shafts in advance of the power-transmitting shaft and separated apart and revolubly mounted on the rocking support, a pair of chain sprocket-wheels on each shaft of the pair of shafts, a sprocket-chain for each pair of chain sprocket-wheels, each chain having an arm on a plurality of its links, and a plurality of paddles pivotally mounted between the arms of the chain-links, substantially as described.

5. In a water-motor, the combination of a power-transmitting shaft, a rocking longitudinal support mounted on and extending fore and aft of the power-transmitting shaft, a pair of shafts in advance of the powertransmitting shaft and separated apart and revolubly mounted on the rocking support, a pair of chain sprocket-wheels on each shaft of the pair of shafts, a sprocket-chain for each pair of chain sprocket-wheels, each chain having an arm on a plurality of its links, a plurality of paddles pivotally mounted between the arms of the chain-links, and

means for adjusting the inclination of each paddle, substantially as described.

6. In a water-motor, the combination of a power-transmitting shaft, a rocking longitudinal support mounted on and extending fore and aft of the power-transmitting shaft, a pair of shafts in advance of the power-transmitting shaft and separated apart and revolubly mounted on the rocking support, a pair of chain sprocket-wheels on each shaft of the pair of shafts, a sprocket-chain for each pair of chain sprocket-wheels, each chain having an arm on a plurality of its links, a plurality of paddles pivotally mounted between the arms of the chain-links, and a shiftable weight traveling on the rocking support for adjusting the dip of the paddles, substantially as described.

7. In a water-motor, a power-transmitting shaft, a rocking support composed of several longitudinal and parallel sections located side by side and each section mounted on and extending fore and aft of the power-transmitting shaft, a pair of shafts in advance of the power-transmitting shaft, both shafts crossing and mounted on the several sections of the support and separated fore and aft one from the other, pairs of chain sprocket-wheels on each shaft, one pair for each section of the support, a sprocket-chain for each pair of chain sprocket-wheels, and a plurality of blades mounted between each pair of sprocket-chains, substantially as described.

8. In a water-motor, a power-transmitting shaft, a rocking support composed of several longitudinal and parallel sections located side by side and each section mounted on and extending fore and aft of the power-transmitting shaft, a pair of shafts in advance of the power-transmitting shaft, both shafts crossing and mounted on the several sections of the support and separated fore and aft one from the other, pairs of chain sprocketwheels on each shaft, one pair for each section of the support, a sprocket-chain for each pair of chain sprocket-wheels, a plurality of blades mounted between each pair of sprocket-chains, and means for adjusting the IIC inclination of the paddles, substantially as described.

I 9. In a water-motor, a power-transmitting shaft, a rocking support composed of several longitudinal and parallel sections located side by side and each section mounted on and extending fore and aft of the powertransmitting shaft, a pair of shafts in advance of the powertransmitting shaft, both shafts crossing and mounted on the several sections of the support and separated fore and aft one from the other, pairs of chain sprocket-wheels on each shaft, one pair for each section of the support, a sprocket-chain for each pair of chain sprocket-wheels, a plurality of blades mounted between each pair of sprocket-chains, and a shiftable weight for adjusting the dip of the paddles, substantially as described.

10. In a water-motor, a power-transmitting shaft, a rocking support composed of several longitudinal and parallel sections located side by side and each section mounted on and extending fore and aft of the power transmitting shaft, a pair of shafts in advance of the power-transmitting shaft, both shafts crossing and mounted on the several sections of the support and separated fore and aft one from the other, pairs of chain sprocketwheels on each shaft, one pair for each section of the support, a sprocket-chain for each pair of chain sprocketavheels, a plurality of blades mounted between each pair of sprocket-chains, means for adjusting the inclination of the paddles, and a shiftable weight for adjusting the dip of the paddles, substantiallyas described.

11. In a water-motor, the combination of a power-transmitting shaft, a rocking longitudinal support carried by and extending fore and aft of the shaft, and a motor mounted on the rocking support forward of the power-transmitting shaft, said motor consi sting of a plurality of blades, longitudinallytraveling chain-carriers for the blades, a for- 'Ward supporting-shaft mounted on the forward end of the rocking support, a supporting-shaft intermediate of the power-transmitting shaft and the front supporting-shaft, sprocket-wheels for the chains on the shafts, and means for adjusting the inclination of the paddles, substantially as described.

. 12.. In a water-motor, the combination of a power-transmitting shaft, a rocking longitudinal support carried by and extending fore and aft of the shaft, and a motor mounted on the rocking support forward of the power-transmitting shaft, said motor consisting of a plurality of blades, longitudinally-traveling chain-carriers for the blades, a forward supporting-shaft mounted on the forward end of the rocking support, a supporting-shaft intermediate of the powertransmitting shaft and the front support ngshaft, sprocket-wheels for the chains on the shafts, and a shiftable weight for adjusting the dip of the paddles, substantially as described.

13. In a water-motor, the combination of a power-transmitting shaft, a rocking longitudinal support carried by and extending fore and aft of the shaft, and a motor mounted on the rocking support forward of the power-transmitting shaft, said motor consisting of a plurality of blades, longitudinally-traveling chain-carriers for the blades, a forward supporting-shaft mounted on the forward end of the rocking support, a supporting-shaft intermediate of the power transmitting shaft and the front supportingshaft, sprocket-wheels for the chains on the shafts, means for adjusting the inclination of the paddles, and a shiftable weight for adjusting the dip of the paddles, substantially as described.

LEVI M. SHAW.

Witnesses:

OSCAR. W. BOND, WM. P. BOND. 

